The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-05-26

pay ought not to be shifted on the ad va
loren list against the property holders in
more commendable pursuits. And men
who wear flowers on their noses as a re-
suit of sucking around quart houses and
drug stores, should be afforded a decent
chance to avoid absolute hypocrisy-the
greatest curse to genuine moral reform in
every land.
The revenue to the state for the two
years ending June 30, 1886, from intoxi-
eating liquors, amounted to one million,
twenty-four thousand five hundred dol.
lars. ($1,O24,5O0) The expense to
the state growing out of criminal
prosecution5-emb the fees of
district and county attorneys, sheriffs
clerks, witnesses, criminal judges, ETC., for
the two years ending February %, 1887,
aggregate the amount of nine hundred
and fifty-eight thousand, seven hundred
and thirty three dollars and seventy-four
cents ($958, 1874 By this it will be OBJ
served that occupation taxes from
this one traffic paid an excess of $685.
1926 over all the expense to the state
from all criminal sources for like period.
The comptroller furnished me these fig
ures this morning, and they are correct.
The reason they are not given for the
same periods is that the general bus
mess year closes with the government
February %, while the one for the settle
ment of occupation taxes ends on June 30
of each year.
The total trials during the two years
ending January l., 1887, of the three Of
senses of arson, burglary and theft were
3,045; while those of all other offenses
coMbined, including murder, rape, rob-
berry, embezzlemant, perjury and assaults
to murder, to rape and to rob. aggregate
1882.
These figures are authentic, and
comment, so that you can
draw your own conclusions, after asking
yourself: eff the occupation taxes on
the liquor traffic pay more than the whole
expense of criminal cases, what good
reason can there be for abolishing this
revenue and placing the burden upon
other sources?" 1t will hardly do to say
that crime will cease for the lack of
whisky, for men will sin, drunk or sober;
nor will it answer to say that liquor will
fail to find its way into Texas, for the
facts stare the world in the face that, I'M
der more rigid laws than this proposed
amendment, Maine, with a population of
$4,000, pays a revenue on whisky to the
United States government of $26,554.74
annually; that Iowa, with 100000 peo-
pie, pays $2,13S,662.40 a year; and that
Kansas, the prime pattern of Texas latter
day morals, with population of 100000,
pays also annually, to the national gov
eminent from the same source, 1874 ,974.52.
But Texas, with her 100000 sO-called in
temperate people, pays revenue on whisky
of 1913, 1886 to the United States annually.
Compare these figures, furnished me to-
day by reliable revenue collector here,
and then ask yourself: "What's the mat
teri" Don't say that the revenue officers
have not done their duty, for the people
bear witness to their extreme vigilance
and untlring activity in this line.
1t might do to dodge these figures by
saying that those rural states have agreat
many scientists who apply the stuff, and
lavish in its use, and a very sickly
population that cannot do without
it; but to say that whisky floats by them,
or that 1t is less used in either of those
states than IN Texas, in proportion to
population, is simply illogical and untrue.
So palpable failure to enforce the liquor
laws within the small circumscribed limits
of moral Maine, woman's rights Kansas
| and busy Iowa, with the aid of all their
superior forms" of civil government in
| the keeping of their moral zealots and
skillful leaders, at least speaks badly for
this political quick step, now being so
artfully taken under the cloak of temper
ance reform on the pure, unsullied soil of
chivalrous Texas. If, for no stronger
reasons, this amendment ought to
be defeated upon the grounds that it
would scatter the traffic and use of intoxi-
cants and force them into low dives and
high places alike without the attendance
of law or the burdens of taxation, where,
in the former, they would be productive
of the most hideous and corrupting forms
of crimes, and in the latter they would
play the part of keen cut reapers of the
fairest flowers of our land.
If whisky is the embodiment of villain
les, the father of all crime, the mother of
denominations, the DEVILS best friend,
Gods worst enemy. and the murderer of
the SOUL it, from the time it issues from
the coiled and poisonous worm at the
distillery, until it empties into the hell of
death, dishonor and shame, it democrat
ICES everybody that it touches from its
source to where it ends, then the good
people should try to narrow its current
and surround it by the safeguards of
law, instead of spreading it
throughout every avenue of
trade and into the way of every social
channel, where it will be used by more
people and by that class who would never
enter saloon to get it. At present, the
saloons are chiefly supported by the
transient, travelling, floating classes, who
otherwise pay but little either directly or
indirectly to support the government.
With a change, the chief patrons of
whisky would be our home people of
every profession, class, grade, shade and
color.
Yes, my friend, am opposed to and
shall vote against the socalled prohibi
ton amendments, for, what believe to
be, the welfare of morality, the protection
of virtue, the promotion of honesty and
the perpetuity of good government.
With great respect and sincere friend
ship, l am your obedient servant,
j. s. HoGG.